Lean On Me
by Rocketlover
Summary: Lizzie helps Robert come to terms with a painful event from his past - Cordano! COMPLETED
1. The Bad Run

This takes place a few weeks after 'All in the Family'. This is my first foray into Fanfic so be gentle with me – I am open to any helpful suggestions.  
  
I Do not own Robert Romano, Elizabeth Corday or any other characters from E.R. Nor do I own E.R. If I did, Rocket would NOT be dead, but hey, let's not go there!!!!  
  
Chapter One: The Bad Run  
  
Three weeks after Lucy's death and things seemed to be getting progressively worse. Yet another patient had died on his O.R table. Dr Robert Romano had never had such a 'bad run' in his whole, impressive career. That made his failures five. Five lives' that he should have been able to save – After all, he was 'Rocket' Romano, the best surgeon to walk these County walls. He was the Chief of Surgery. Failure was not something he associated himself with. He left that to others, and they did it very competently!  
  
People were beginning to talk, make callous jokes, 'He'd run out of Rocket fuel', colleagues would duck when they saw him approaching – 'Oh, hide, here comes the grim reaper!' He'd chew them out if he heard them directly. The worse part was, he knew he would do the same if it were some other chump.  
  
He threw off his gown and gloves into the waste bin and stormed through the OR doors. Wearing the fiercest glare he could muster, he dared anyone to make a smart-ass comment. Not surprisingly no one did.  
  
"Brenda cancel all my appointments for the rest of the day and then you can go too," he snapped at his assistant, "and don't even think about putting any calls through."  
  
Once inside the inner sanctum of his office he collapsed onto the couch and let out a loud sigh.  
  
After several minutes of just staring into space he heard Brenda calling out,  
  
"Bye then Dr Romano, I'll be off now. Your schedule is now clear and I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
He remained still for a few minutes before bringing his hands up to his head and rubbing his cheeks. Why had Lucy had to die? She was one of the few people he had respect for in this place. She would have made an excellent doctor. Life really was a bitch. So pointless and futile, the fact that some psycho could just walk in and do that to another human being, especially someone like Lucy, who really was just a kid, well you had to wonder what was the point?  
  
He got up and reached for the bottle of scotch he kept in his desk and poured himself a generous three fingers worth. Turning out the light and closing the blinds, he knocked the phone off the hook. As the liquid burned the back of his throat, he sank back down onto the couch, closed his eyes – and saw her face.  
  
A face almost identical to Lucy - a face that he had loved with all his heart and soul, his very being.  
  
It had been years since he had cried tears over her, but now they came thick and fast. A desperate sob from the pit of his stomach escaped through his mouth. The tears became uncontrollable and his shoulders began to shake. An inner voice told him to get a grip, but the unleashed emotions he had kept in check for so long refused to dissipate.  
  
A deafening pounding filled his head and Robert's hands went instinctively to his ears. Raw emotion took control of his whole body as the sobs came faster. Still fighting to take back control Robert tried to stand but instead fell to his knees, dropping the glass of scotch and spilling it's contents.  
  
Then from out of nowhere two arms enveloped him.  
  
"Robert!" yelled Elizabeth.  
  
"Robert what's wrong, what's happened?" 


	2. A friend in deed

Still don't own E.R or any characters from it  
  
LEAN ON ME  
  
Chapter II  
  
"Elizabeth?" was all Robert could manage to choke out.  
  
Elizabeth held on to him and rubbed her hand in comforting circles over his back. 'What the hell had happened?' she wondered. ' I know Robert has not had much luck these last few weeks, and what with Lucy, he's been more moody than usual, but I've never seen him this upset.'  
  
"Shhh, it's okay now," she whispered into his ear.  
  
For some reason seeing Robert like this deeply upset her. They had had their differences in the past, but lately they'd been getting along better. In some ways their fight to save Lucy had only reinforced their working relationship. Despite their failure they had worked almost as one surgeon without the need to communicate verbally. Each one proactive to the others needs. She dared to even think of him as a friend now. Elizabeth did the only thing she could and drew him in tighter to her.  
  
In the darkened room the only sounds were of Roberts slowing sobs and Elizabeth's quiet assurances.  
  
He did not want to appear weak in front of Elizabeth of all people, but her kindness was his undoing. His arms encircled around her and he pulled himself in as close as he could get, hanging on for dear life.  
  
After a few minutes Robert began to calm. The sobs stopped and the tears slowed.  
  
Elizabeth brought her hands up to cup his face and lifted his head up to meet her concerned gaze. She looked into his eyes and saw only raw pain. With their foreheads touching she continued to look him in the eyes and said in the softest voice he had ever heard,  
  
"Robert, please talk to me – Let me help."  
  
He nearly had himself back under control but needed to stall.  
  
"Lizzie what are you doing here?"  
  
"I'm sorry, I was knocking on the door. Brenda wasn't outside and I needed the McDonald case file. You didn't answer – Robert please talk to me."  
  
"The McDonald file is over on my desk. I'm fine – just can't hold my liquor anymore," he babbled.  
  
Elizabeth made no movement so he regretfully extracted himself from her warm embrace, and got to his feet. Picking up the file he proffered his other hand to Elizabeth, who sighed at the floor before accepting it and allowed him to help her up.  
  
She kept a hold of his hand and tried once again.  
  
"Robert I like to think that we are friends." She started.  
  
"Yeah" was all he replied.  
  
"You know if you ever need to talk – about anything – I'm you girl." She smirked.  
  
That brought a slight smile to his face. Oh, how I wish that were the case he thought to himself.  
  
"Look, err, I'm not really good with all this touchy feely crap. Thanks for you know, the hugging stuff, but really I'm fine. I needed to vent and I have." He lied.  
  
He chanced a look into her eyes. He could tell straight away she didn't buy it.  
  
"Robert – you know what you need?" she asked.  
  
"No, but I have a sneaky suspicion you are going to tell me" he replied.  
  
"To get shitfaced!"  
  
"I beg your pardon Lizzie!"  
  
"You know shitfaced, pie eyed, drunk as a skunk, off your rocker – you understanding me yet?" she joked. She folded her arms across her chest and jutted her chin out in that snooty way only the British can do.  
  
"Am I understanding you're volunteering to be my drinking buddy?" he ventured.  
  
Elizabeth continued with the snooty expression and simply nodded her head slightly.  
  
Romano thought to himself. She was right about the getting 'shitfaced' part, but should he go with her. What if he got all emotional again? Alchohol Lizzie=possibilities. AlchoholLizzieboo hooing, soul revealing Romano=major embarrassment.  
  
He broke his gaze from hers and looked down. She was still holding his hand whilst he still held the file in his other.  
  
"I thought you needed this file urgently – that usually indicates you have outstanding work?" he said.  
  
"True. I also have a loose dinner date with my mother, Mark and his father. However, I am willing to blow them all off for a friend."  
  
"Ohh, the images you conjure up in my head Lizzie" Robert teased.  
  
"Cheeky sod!" she released his hand and punched him lightly on the shoulder. "So are you coming or not?"  
  
"Are you buying?" he smirked.  
  
Again the snootiness.  
  
She looked gorgeous. He knew it would be better if he declined, he was in far too an emotional state right now. But there was that face – the one he could not resist. Robert knew deep down he should talk to her; it might even help her to understand him. Maybe even like him? Whoa slow down boyo – the lady only suggested a drink or two. He looked at her face. She was still smiling, but there was quiet concern in the eyes. That was the deal breaker. He stepped around her, grabbed his coat and opened the door.  
  
"Come on then Corday, let's see what you're made off!"  
  
"What you're going out like that?" Lizzie teased.  
  
Robert looked down at himself. Still in scrubs.  
  
"Fine, give me a minute to get changed. I'll meet you outside in ten minutes, okay?" he asserted.  
  
"Whatever you say Robert."  
  
And with that she was gone.  
  
Robert got changed into his street clothes and grabbed his pager and wallet. Stopping by the cafeteria he bought a disgusting cheese sandwich and ate it on the elevator down. The last thing he needed was embarrassing himself by drinking on an empty stomach!  
  
When he reached outside there she was as promised – waiting for him. She looked him over, nodded her approval of his attire and smiled.  
  
"Shall we then..........?"  
  
He walked over to where she stood, linked his arm with hers.  
  
"Come on Corday, let me introduce you to the seedier parts of Chicago."  
  
They set off together in silence both wondering what thay had just got themselves into............ 


	3. Skittles

Thanks to all of you who have reviewed. You inspire me to do more damage. Special thanks to TV-Crazy, high praise from yourself made my head swell loads as I have read and love all your stuff – please update 'Dreams can come true' soon!!!!!

Still don't own E.R or any characters from it!  
  
LEAN ON ME  
  
Chapter III  
  
The smoke invaded their nostrils as soon as they entered the place. The pub was dark, nosiy and smelt of cigarettes and men. 'Oh Lord' thought Elizabeth, 'Here we go.'  
  
"Errmm – nice place Robert. My God, is that actual sawdust on the floor?" she exclaimed.  
  
"Hee-hee, yeah – cool place huh?" Robert snickered.  
  
"Frequent it often do you?" replied Elizabeth sarcastically.  
  
"Look around you. See anyone from County here? – No? – Do you envisage anyone from County walking in here to witness our impending debauchery? – No – So stop whining!" Robert said.  
  
Elizabeth looked around her again. He was right; no one would be witness to this, thank God.  
  
"Poison?" he interrupted her reverie.  
  
"What?" she muttered.  
  
"What do you want to drink, as in what's your poison Lizzie?" he sighed. "This is why were here after all."  
  
"Oh, er, I'll have a bacardi and coke please." Elizabeth answered. "Oh, and Robert?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Make it a double!"  
  
"Fine but you've got the next round." He retorted.  
  
Robert approached the bar and ordered the drinks. "Oh, make the bacardi a treble." He smirked. The bartender asked if he should start a tab.  
  
"Definitely" was Roberts's reply.  
  
Scooping the glasses up, Robert turned around and scanned the room. Elizabeth had found a table in a dark corner. He weaved his way through the crowd to the table and placed the drinks down. He grinned as Elizabeth picked up the glass and examined it before smelling it.  
  
"Checking for botchulism? I'm pretty sure they are required by law to wash the glasses you know," he said as he took a seat opposite her.  
  
Elizabeth peered over the glass at him.  
  
"What you got there then?" She enquired.  
  
"Scotch – is that okay with you?" he snarked back.  
  
They both sat back observing the other. Elizabeth then raised her glass to her lips.  
  
"Tally ho then," she said, still holding the glass aloft.  
  
"Chin, chin," Robert replied in his best British accent before downing his drink in one go and throwing a challenging look over at his companion.  
  
Elizabeth smiled revealing perfect white teeth. She put the glass to her mouth and slowly sipped at the drink. Robert folded his arms and began to look smugly at her, but then stopped in his tracks as Elizabeth threw back her head and downed the drink in on session.  
  
"Wow, Lizzie where'd you learn to do that, finishing school?" he said with genuine admiration.  
  
"No – boarding school actually." She scoffed back.  
  
"Well slugger I believe it's your round," he countered.  
  
"Fine." Elizabeth rose as steadily as she could. She couldn't do that too many times, she thought to herself. She sauntered over to the bar.  
  
The bartender greeted her with a nod of the head.  
  
"Same again?" he gruffly asked.  
  
"No – I'll have a plain old coke and another scotch, oh - and make it a double please." She smirked.  
  
"How much?" she enquired.  
  
"Your friend started a tab" he waved his hand at her before moving on to the next customer.  
  
Elizabeth returned to the table and placed the drinks down.  
  
"So?" she said as she sat down.  
  
"What?" he knew what she meant.  
  
"Are you going to tell me about it?" she parried.  
  
"Take a lot more of these to loosen these lips," he countered picking up the glass and swirling the liquid around.  
  
"Guess, I'll just have to drink you under the table then," and with that Elizabeth picked up her drink and took a large gulp.  
  
'Bloody hell the girl can drink' he thought as he raised his own drink and downed it in one again. At this rate they'd both end up in the E.R with alcohol poisoning. He smiled as he thought of their colleagues' reaction to that little scenario!  
  
They continued in this fashion for a about an hour, making small talk about work and doing a lot of 'Kerry bashing' into the bargain. The drinks continued to come in varying degrees depending on who went to the bar.  
  
"Shhoo then. Have you had enough yet?" Elizabeth asked.  
  
"Check this," Robert stood.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Men's room – watch me walk a straight line."  
  
Elizabeth watched and giggled as Robert's 'straight line' bounced him off several people and turned him into a human skittle  
  
"Hey watch it man!", "Oi", 'Jerk' assorted protests rebounded of Robert's back as he disappeared into the crowd in his quest for the men's room.  
  
Elizabeth sank back into her chair, closed her eyes, and brought up a hand to rub them. The smoke was beginning to take its toll on them and her head was swimming in a thick fog. 'Okay closing eyes not such a hot idea.' She wished Robert would just get what was bugging him off his chest. Still she was kind off having a good time though, who'd have thought Romano would be good social company? Course she was pretty plastered and her mother would probably be acceptable company in her present inebriated state!  
  
After a while Robert had still not returned. Elizabeth began to fret.  
  
"If that little turd has ditched me, he can bloody well standby!" she muttered to herself.  
  
She weaved her own wobbly path through the crowd and looked around for the loos. Spotting the men's restroom, she grabbed the nearest male arm.  
  
"Hi pardon me sir,(hiccup) my friend disappeared in there a while ago and hasn't come out. Could you (hiccup) possibly see if he's okay?"  
  
The man regarded Elizabeth then smiled.  
  
"Sure what does he look like?"  
  
"Total lack of hair and manners. Incredibly short and very pissed – you'll know him!"  
  
Five minutes later the door opened to produce an angry looking Robert with a very wet head.  
  
"Did you sick him on me?" he asked her accusingly, pointing at her search and rescue man.  
  
Elizabeth looked from Robert to the man she had despatched on her extraction mission, back to Robert's sodden head and started chuckling. "What happened?" she ventured  
  
Rescue man shrugged his shoulders, smiled and said, "He was fast asleep – the only thing that would wake him was water!"  
  
"Ohh- well, err thanks" she smirked trying to picture that one in her head.  
  
"No problem lady" he called over his shoulder before disappearing.  
  
"Thanks Lizzie I really enjoyed that – NOT!" Robert whinged.  
  
Elizabeth began to laugh and this did not do anything to make Robert feel better.  
  
"C'mon we're leaving before you have someone beat me up!" He caught hold of her arm and pulled her towards the bar.  
  
"Oi watch it, you're the one who fell asleep on me and virtually left me abandoned, so don't be getting shitty." She dripped.  
  
"Yo, can I pick up my tab?" Robert yelled over at the bartender.  
  
The bartender slid the bill over to Robert.  
  
"Bloody hell Lizzie you are one expensive date."  
  
"Oh, shut up, you're the one who drinks like a fish!" she fumed. She stank of smoke, was two sheets close to the wind and was still none the wiser as to what was bugging Robert. Really successful evening she sulked.  
  
Romano pulled out his wallet and started to reach for the wad of dollar bills. He quickly eyed the amount. Nope he'd have to dig deep into his emergency fund. Rooting deeper into a compartment he hardly ever used but knew he kept a $50 bill her photo came out with it . There she was smiling up at him. His whole body froze.  
  
"Buddy, you okay?" asked the bartender.  
  
That made Elizabeth look up. She glanced at Robert. He seemed lost in his own little world. 'Useless drunk' she thought and pulled the wallet away from him.  
  
"It's green and called money Robert – look see." She said with a flourish as she pulled out the notes and gave them to the bartender.  
  
"Thanks lady – you want me to call you guys a cab, you err seem pretty sloshed the pair of you."  
  
Elizabeth did not answer. She was staring at a photo in the wallet. It was an image of Lucy, but not Lucy; there were subtle differences, but the likeness was uncanny. She was beautiful. No. She was stunning – she was also noticeably pregnant.  
  
"Robert?"  
  
Nothing. She jabbed him hard in the ribs.  
  
"Robert, who is this?" she asked still staring at the photo.  
  
Robert sighed and his shoulders slumped.  
  
"That would be Laura" he replied in a low soft whisper.  
  
"Who.." Elizabeth started – but he cut off –  
  
"My wife" was all he said.  
  
Elizabeth was shocked. She had no idea Robert was married. There was never any mention of a family and she knew for a fact he wore no ring.  
  
The bartender rolled his eyes and walked away. Some other chump caught cheating –he hoped the redhead decked him!  
  
"Where is she now?" she dared to ask.  
  
Robert looked at her hard. His eyes bore into hers and all the hurt that had re-surfaced earlier threatened to return. His eyes glistened with tears again. No, no way was he loosing it here, in front of her again.  
  
Elizabeth thought he was going to bolt so she grabbed hold of his arm.  
  
Robert looked down at her arm and then to her face. He reached over and took his wallet back, placed it in his pocket. Then he slowly removed her fingers from his arm.  
  
"Robert?"  
  
He looked into her face. It was full of concern, concern only for him. She had shown him kindness tonight, been a true friend, he owed her something, some sort of an explanation. But not here.  
  
"Come on Lizzie, time to go."  
  
"I'm not going anywhere till you start talking," she said.  
  
Robert sighed. The women just wouldn't quit.  
  
"Not here Elizabeth." He said warningly.  
  
Elizabeth folded her arms and stared at him crossly.  
  
He sighed loudly and rubbed his eyes.  
  
"She's dead Elizabeth. Happy now?" he spat out.  
  
He didn't wait for an answer, just turned and left leaving a shell shocked Elizabeth staring after his retreating form.  
  
TBC 


	4. Leggie Corday

Thanks for the reviews – keep them coming, they keep me inspired. As mentioned this is my first fanfic and after your kind appreciations it would be fair to say I think I'm hooked! – You have all created a monster!!! Standby for future Romano/Cordano stories...............  
  
Still don't own E.R or any characters from it!  
  
LEAN ON ME  
  
Chapter IV -  
  
Elizabeth's head tried to process the information she had just learned. Robert was, no, had been married. When had she died and how?  
  
Then she remembered he had just left. Her feet started running for the exit. How long had she stood there? Damn she had to catch him up.  
  
She made it out of the pub and spotted him across the road attempting to wave down a cab. He was pretty obviously drunk – he'd have trouble flagging down a taxi.  
  
"Robert" she yelled, "Wait!"  
  
Running across the road she caught up with him. She stood in front of him swaying from her exertions. She couldn't think of anything to say so she just looked at him and smiled. (And continued to sway!)  
  
He looked her up and down and grinned.  
  
"Elizabeth I do believe you are, to quote your good self, shitfaced!"  
  
"Well that's your fault – and ditto back!" She linked her arm through his. "Listen Romano – newsflash – no taxi is picking you up unless you stand up straight and act sober – like so.."  
  
With an elaborate gesture Elizabeth inhaled deeply, straightened up and swung her left arm out as if she was a ballerina.  
  
"Or alternatively you could flash a bit of leg" scoffed Robert.  
  
"That only works in movies" she blurted indignantly.  
  
"Oh, reeealllyy – try it. I dare you!" he challenged.  
  
Elizabeth looked him in the eye and they locked stares. Both stood still waiting for the other to look away first. Robert grinned and raised his arm; Elizabeth smiled and hitched her skirt slowly, drawing it up her left leg to reveal her thigh. Robert stole a glance down and raised en eyebrow -  
  
Then out of nowhere a taxi stopped.  
  
He folded his arms triumphantly and smiled broadly revealing dimples. 'God I must be drunk, he looks quite cute right now.' She thought.  
  
"Well I guess you should take this one huh?" Robert offered opening the door for her.  
  
"Oh, like you'll be able to get a cab without me – get in," she shoved him none too carefully inside and jumped in beside him.  
  
"If you think I'm finished with you, you are sadly mistaken." She quipped.  
  
"I believe this counts as kidnapping Lizzie!"  
  
"Where to folks?" asked the driver.  
  
"Ladies first." Robert said.  
  
Elizabeth looked him over. He was definitely a little worse for wear and despite his flippancy she detected a melancholy falling over him.  
  
"No you first, where do you live?" she asked.  
  
"Nope not telling you, you're acting strange, kidnapping men of the streets and getting them drunk, God you'll probably try stalking me or something next!"  
  
"Give me your wallet Robert." She demanded.  
  
"What you're adding robbery to your rap sheet?"  
  
"Your wallet – give it to me."  
  
"You know you're really bossy when you're drunk – I don't think I want to play with you any more" he purred in a low voice.  
  
She thrust her hand out palm side up.  
  
His eyes bored straight into hers. She was getting too cocky by half; time to scare her off. "You want it? You get it." he said and winked at her.  
  
'Cheeky sod' she thought. She should slap him, but hey she was tanked up, so was he. He did not move so Elizabeth reached over, still looking him in the eye. She smiled slyly, holding his gaze and reached her hand into his trouser pocket. Her face was just inches from his. Robert's whole body tensed and he inhaled her scent. She smelt of cigarettes but he could detect her perfume as well –her usual if he was not mistaken. As she pulled out her prize triumphantly Robert let out the breath he had been holding. Elizabeth pulled out his drivers licence and showed it to the driver.  
  
"Take us there please." She told the cabbie, replaced the licence and tossed the wallet back at Robert, smiling smugly.  
  
- Well so much for scaring her off.  
  
"So I suppose you have questions?" he spoke quietly.  
  
"Yes" was all Elizabeth replied.  
  
"Look - just wait till we get to my place. If I'm going to prattle on about my private life it's not going to be in the back of a taxi. Okay?"  
  
He looked over at her. They locked gazes again, Elizabeth eyeing him carefully – he was being sincere, she knew straight away.  
  
"Okay," she said.  
  
Robert let out a quiet sigh and looked away, choosing to stare out of the window and watch the city of Chicago fly by.  
  
Elizabeth continued to watch him. He looked tense, completely absorbed in his own thoughts.  
  
'Remind me why am I doing this again?' she asked herself. He'd obviously appreciated the company tonight, but trying to get personal information out of him was next to nigh on impossible. Tim Henman had a better chance of winning Wimbledon (authors note – I'm British and allowed to bash Tim so there!), than getting Robert to act like a normal human being and ask for help. What does it matter to me anyhow, the man's a pain in the ass most of the time – I should be at home with mother by now. She didn't know what she'd tell Mark in the morning – This was getting awfully complicated. WHY did she care? She didn't know, but she'd come this far she might as well play it out. Bravado, or the booze talking? Ahh sod it my head hurts!  
  
Elizabeth looked out her window and thought no more.  
  
TBC (Tee-hee!!) 


	5. No one expects the Spanish Inquisition

Thanks again to all who have reviewed. This is a long one (For me anyway). I was up into the wee hours tapping away on my trusty laptop – my husband thinks I've gone mad!! – So I hope you like it!  
  
LEAN ON ME  
  
Chapter V   
  
The cab pulled up in front of a very grand and imposing house. Elizabeth was impressed despite herself. She remembered Lucy's excited description of the house, but they do not do it justice. Lucy. Funny, how things kept coming back to her. A catalyst to the Rocket, she mused.  
  
Robert paid the driver and climbed out of the cab holding out a hand to help Elizabeth. They stood together both inhaling the night air and swaying drunkenly together.  
  
"Come on." He said.  
  
Robert started forward rooting in his pocket for his keys. Elizabeth made to follow. 'In for a penny in for a pound' she mused to herself 'Here goes, best foot forward as mother would say.'  
  
Only, Elizabeth's 'best foot' tripped on the step and propelled her into Robert who then fell smack into the door. They both collapsed on the floor looking at each other before bursting into loud hysterical laughter.  
  
After a while, the laughing slowed to giggles and Robert looked straight at Elizabeth and smiled a genuine, rare and warm smile she would never have thought him capable of. She grinned back goofily.  
  
"I think at this stage coffee would be a good idea. Care to join me?" he asked getting to his feet and taking her hand to help her up.  
  
"Thought you'd never ask."  
  
He looked at their clasped hands and spoke so softly she had to strain to hear.  
  
"Thank you for tonight Elizabeth."  
  
Then he dropped her hand and turned his attentions back to the door. She started to brush herself off. When she'd finished Robert had the front door open and was pacifying an over excited Gretel.  
  
"She's looking better than the last time I saw her."  
  
"Yes you are, aren't you girl, yes you are." he said in a silly voice as Gretel slobbered over him.  
  
"Eww, that's disgusting," Elizabeth pulled a face.  
  
"Take no notice girl she's just jealous." Robert smooched.  
  
Gretel suitably loved up went back to her basket and to the business of sleeping.  
  
"So coffee triple strength coming up then." Robert trudged off to the kitchen and Elizabeth looked around before wandering off after him. The house was just as impressive in as it was on the outside.  
  
"You have a beautiful home Robert."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"How long have you lived here?"  
  
"About ten years." The coffee machine started to spit and a nice aroma hit the air.  
  
"Soo, have you always lived here alone?" Elizabeth asked.  
  
"Wow Lizzie that was subtle!" he chuckled.  
  
"So?" she persisted.  
  
Robert took a deep breath and placed his hands flat down on the counter. He felt his body tense up.  
  
Elizabeth snook up behind him and placed a hand tentatively on his shoulder.  
  
"Robert?"  
  
"We bought it together, we fixed it up together." He muttered.  
  
"We... is Laura?" she asked tentatively.  
  
Robert turned around and studied Elizabeth's face for a while. Just how much should he tell, where would he start? Tonight had been a big help already, he knew that much. He felt better than he had in weeks. Lucy's death had brought back a lot of memories and emotions he thought he had put to bed. Maybe talking about it with Elizabeth would finally give him 'closure.'  
  
Elizabeth stood there waiting patiently for him to say something. She'd pushed him enough tonight; it was up to him now.  
  
He grabbed two cups and poured out the coffee. "You want milk?"  
  
"Yes please." She replied.  
  
She watched him wander over to the fridge to get milk and finish making the coffee.  
  
Picking up the cups he carried them past her and headed off. She turned and followed him into a large airy lounge, illuminated by a single table lamp that cast shadows eerily around.  
  
He put the cups down on the coffee table and sat down on the large couch. Elizabeth pondered where to sit – armchair or the couch?  
  
Robert kicked off his shoes and sprawled out, brought his hands to his head and rubbed his temple.  
  
'Solves that problem' she thought and sat in the chair opposite him.  
  
He remained still for a moment then reached over to sip some coffee.  
  
"Coffee alright Lizzie?"  
  
She reached for her own cup, took a sip and nodded.  
  
"I met Laura in medical school." He started after a brief silence.  
  
Elizabeth sat back into the deep chair.  
  
"It was the real deal you know – love at first sight with all the associated squishy trappings."  
  
He led back down and smiled ruefully at the ceiling. "We just hit it off from day one. Had our moments like most couples do but we were certain of each other throughout. We managed to wangle our residencies in the same hospital, how cheesy is that?" he chuckled.  
  
She watched him talk. When he spoke of Laura his voice turned so gentle she had to hide a surprised smile behind her cup. She liked this Robert.  
  
"Then we got married. I kid you not Lizzie I was the happiest man alive the day she vowed to love me forever....." He trailed off, went quiet.  
  
"She was pregnant?" Elizabeth asked referring to the picture from his wallet.  
  
Robert's smile faded slightly and his voice took on an edge.  
  
"Five months when it was taken. A girl. Never got to meet her."  
  
Suddenly he sat up and drained his coffee cup. When he looked up at Elizabeth his eyes were moist, and she could see the incredible struggle going on within him as he fought to keep himself under control. His jaw set tight, he focused his breathing in and out, in and out.  
  
Elizabeth set her cup down on the table before walking over to him and sitting beside him on the couch.  
  
"You okay Robert?" she asked softly.  
  
"No."  
  
He stared ahead refusing to meet her eyes. He did not want to fall apart (again), and felt sure that's what would happen if he carried on.  
  
Elizabeth was unsure how to proceed. Robert was obviously fighting a battle with his emotions and loosing. He was not a man to reveal weakness voluntarily; if she hadn't walked in on him earlier in his office that evening, there was no way she would be any wiser about this complex man.  
  
"Listen, Robert I'm not going to pry, but I would really like to help. How about we just sit here, huh? I'm great company and you'll love it cause I promise not to talk." She smirked.  
  
He still faced forward but she saw his shoulders relax slightly.  
  
"Can I have that in writing Lizzie to use against you at a later date?"  
  
"Typical, I'm trying to be nice and you're plotting against me!" she snipped playfully.  
  
"It's pretty late Elizabeth, won't Green have the search parties out looking for you by now?"  
  
"He's my boyfriend Robert, it's not like we're joined at the hip. And you forget I have my mother staying with me – would you want to go home knowing Issabelle Corday was waiting for you."  
  
Robert shuddered his shoulders over dramatically. "So basically I'm doing you a huge favour tonight is that it?" he snickered.  
  
"Well, yeah."  
  
He turned to look at her with intense eyes. She felt herself blush, as he seemed to look right inside her, see her very soul.  
  
"You're a very wonderful person Elizabeth Corday." Then he leant back into the couch.  
  
She beamed genuinely at him.  
  
"Thank you." She said.  
  
"No - thank you." A pause. "Erm, remember earlier tonight I said I was no good at touchy, feely crap?" he started.  
  
Elizabeth nodded.  
  
"Well... errmm, I....." he mumbled.  
  
She looked at him bemused.  
  
"God you men are useless. Come here," she interrupted as she leant back into the couch and pulled his head to her shoulder and wrapped an arm around him. "Too tough to ask for a hug, but you can stand head to head with a charging buffalo or worse still argue the toss of a coin with Kerry the banshee Weaver!"  
  
"Lizzie."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You promised not to talk" he smirked.  
  
"Smart arse!" she muttered.  
  
They stayed like that holding each other for quite some time. Elizabeth offering support by simply being there, Robert drawing strength from her warm embrace.  
  
'Well this evening just gets stranger' she chuckled to herself. 'If you'd have told me yesterday that tonight I would spend an enjoyable evening with Robert Romano, have him open up to me as much as he could manage and end up hugging him whilst he slept his troubles away – and here's the really startling fact – be strangely comfortable with this, here, holding him. Well I'd have laughed in your face.'  
  
After a time Elizabeth felt herself beginning to drift off to sleep. Some time after, she didn't know how long, she felt Robert shifting about.  
  
"You awake?" she yawned.  
  
Nothing. She settled back down and closed her eyes. Then his quiet voice cut through the silence.  
  
"She was on her way to pick me up after my shift," he started, "Going through an intersection, some drunk bastard ran a light and hit her straight on."  
  
Elizabeth squeezed him a bit tighter.  
  
"I was in the ambulance bay waiting for her none the wiser when they wheeled her out of the ambulance."  
  
"Oh my God Robert."  
  
"Yeah." He agreed.  
  
"I knew when I saw her she was hurt too badly, but you know you cling on to every last ray of hope. First they called the baby, and then............they tied everything you know.............but it was useless –she - they were gone."  
  
"Course the drunk walked away with a few scratches, cause that's what happens isn't it? People kill people everyday and just walk away. Good people who don't deserve to die, like Laura, like Lucy they don't stand a chance." Robert's voice rose angrily.  
  
"God I'm so sorry Robert." The words sounded hollow even to Elizabeth's ears. What the hell could she say to that little lot of information?  
  
Another lengthy silence followed, the only sounds in the room those of the two occupants breathing.  
  
Robert wiped stray tears from his eyes. 'Wow that was actually easier than I thought.'  
  
He sat up suddenly and looked over at Elizabeth. She was looking at him with tired eyes and a worried expression.  
  
"You want more coffee Lizzie?"  
  
"No, no Robert I'm fine – so erm what did you do after?" she asked.  
  
"What I do today. Threw myself into work. It hurt to spend time here so I spent the next few years working mainly in Europe as you know."  
  
"How come you stopped continent jumping?" she asked.  
  
'Cause I met you and you agreed to come to America with me.' He thought to himself.  
  
"Not sure," he lied. Then, "I got Gretel and with her came responsibilities," he said lightly.  
  
"Why are so hard on yourself?" she asked.  
  
"I'm not hard on myself Elizabeth, I love what I do, and you of all people should understand that part of me. Look loosing Laura and the baby left a huge void in my life yes, but, I've always been driven Lizzie. I focus on my work 'cause that's all I have left, but I'd like to think I'd be in the same place career wise even if the accident hadn't happened."  
  
"Okay so why are you so hard on other people then?" she dared.  
  
He didn't answer but looked at her face questioningly.  
  
Elizabeth returned the stare with determination – she so wanted to understand this complicated man. Robert continued to look directly at her concentrating on her eyes, occasionally to her mouth. Elizabeth noticed and felt a slight flush fill her cheeks. She held her nerve though and did not look away as she would normally. Dutch courage would do that for you every time.  
  
"Do you think I'm hard on you?" Robert asked her softly.  
  
"Yes, no, oh I don't know – but you can't deny you're a pain in the ass where the rest of the hospital is concerned." She blurted out.  
  
He shrugged.  
  
"It's more efficient that way. If you're soft people take advantage. Now, when I say jump, they ask high and they do it – and they do it well quite a lot of the time. They feel good about themselves for achieving what they thought they couldn't do in the first place and they get to blame me for making them do it! It's the time honoured symbiotic relationship of worker/manager Lizzie – There is no great mystery here."  
  
Elizabeth considered his words for a while, and then a slight smile twisted her lips.  
  
"Bollocks!" she said matter of factly.  
  
"God you're eloquent when you're drunk Lizzie " Robert chuckled.  
  
"Robert you enjoy torturing people, you thrive on it! Make a point of it! Want to know what I think?"  
  
He continued to look at her with a bemused expression and shook his head from side to side.  
  
"Tough," she said, "I think you keep people at a distance so that you wont like them and you wont get hurt again!"  
  
Robert laughed at her. She just continued to watch him.  
  
"Bollocks Elizabeth – I like who I am, and yes I enjoy pushing peoples buttons, I never once said I was a nice guy now did I? Yes I've been hurt, but so have most people. I have no designs on myself, I'm NOT traumatised so please spare me the visit to your psyche class from medical school days long gone!" he said voice rising slightly.  
  
They eyed each other warily, neither one willing to back down. He sighed and ran a hand over his face then looked at his watch.  
  
"What time are you on today?" he asked.  
  
"Today? Is it tomorrow already," she said grabbing his hand and looking at the watch.  
  
"Robert it's 3 am!"  
  
"My point exactly Elizabeth, what time are you on?"  
  
"Eight o'clock – yourself?"  
  
"Same." He replied.  
  
"We should get some sleep if we don't want to kill anyone tomorrow, oh wait, I'll probably do that anyhow with my current run." He sank back down in the couch and closed his eyes.  
  
"Guest bedroom second room on the right at the top of the stairs." He said quietly.  
  
"You're worried about it aren't you?" She asked.  
  
"About what?" he opened his eyes.  
  
"This bad run of yours."  
  
"Bloody hell Lizzie, aren't you tired already!"  
  
She peered down at him and smiled. "I have been known on occasion to go ALL night!" she teased.  
  
"Please don't make jokes like that at this late hour Elizabeth."  
  
"So?"  
  
"How does Green put up with you?"  
  
They entered into another staring competition eyeing each other like adversaries. Then....  
  
"Course I'm bloody worried." He spat out suddenly. "I'm a doctor, a damn good one. My medical abilities are my one constant in this world, and here I am beginning to doubt myself. I wasn't allowed to assist with Laura for obvious reasons and despite everything we tried I couldn't save Lucy. It was like watching Laura die all over again only this time it was MY FAULT because I was the one who failed her. Do you know how freaked out I was when I first laid eyes on Lucy! I had such hopes for her. I mean she was nothing like Laura personality wise, but well you've seen her, you can see the physical resemblance. Lucy would have become the great doctor that Laura should have......" Robert trailed off.  
  
Elizabeth looked at his face; he was in turmoil, fighting inner demons. Lucy's death had upset everyone who knew her, but for Robert it had also opened up a whole can of painful memories. To top it all he was beginning to doubt himself, doubt the very skills that defined him as a man, gave him his reason to function, to live. A lesser person would have cracked long ago. But not Robert; he was, she began to see stronger than she had ever realised. He was kind in his own way, funny and utterly decent. There was much she still did not know but right now watching him struggle with himself her heart went out to him at that point. She looked beyond the façade he presented and saw him, the man. She could never think of Robert as just a colleague ever again. Pain in the ass yes, but a friendly one – her friend. Tonight she would give her friend an out.  
  
She leaned back into the couch next to him and snuggled her head onto his chest.  
  
"Robert?"  
  
"What?" he said quietly, slightly taken aback by her actions.  
  
"You talk too much!"  
  
He peered down at her surprise on his face. She'd closed her eyes and seemed to be nuzzling down to go to sleep. 'Cheeky cow' he thought, 'Nags me all night then basically tells me to shut up!' He smiled warmly at her then, he knew she had just let him of the hook. He could so love this woman if she would only let him. Damn Mark Green!  
  
Smiling fondly down at her he suddenly felt brave and kissed the top of her head lightly.  
  
"G'night Lizzie."  
  
Elizabeth smiled, "Good night Robert."  
  
TBC  
  
What do you think? I've got one maybe two more chapters in mind, but I have an idea for a sequel as well. Please R&R for more! 


	6. Cause there's got to be a morning after!

Still don't own E.R or anyone from it. Nor do I own any or lyrics mentioned - they belong to Sir Elton John and Mr BernieTaupin, the song being 'I need you to turn to'  
  
LEAN ON ME  
  
Chapter VI  
  
Lying in his arms she was aware of his every movement and every breath he took. She could feel his heartbeat against her, and the heat coming of both their bodies began to make her feel fuzzy. She liked the feeling and craved more. She slipped a hand over his stomach pulling him closer to her and he shifted slightly to accommodate her. She tilted her head to sneak a look at his face as he slept. Only he wasn't asleep he was smiling down at her. She smiled back.  
  
"Robert..."  
  
"Sshh."  
  
He lifted a hand and cupped her face before lowering his mouth to hers kissing her slowly and lingeringly. She felt her heart race faster against her chest; then opened her lips to him and pushed her tongue into his mouth. They began to explore each other with their kisses; their tongues beginning a frantic dance of hide and seek as they discovered the inside of each other's mouths.  
  
She took his face in both her hands as Robert's went to her back sliding under the fabric of her blouse. She gasped as his hands began to trail up and down her spine making her naked skin tingle with goose bumps.  
  
Elizabeth thought her head would explode when he directed his attentions to her neck, kissing her hungrily whilst moving a hand to cup her breast, squeezing gently as his fingers played with her erect nipple. She let out a moan and slid a hand down his arm to his thigh where she began to trace teasing circles between his upper thigh and groin.  
  
Robert groaned and brought his mouth back up to her face and kissed her passionately full on the mouth with a controlled ferocity that made her gasp. Then he nibbled her lip and began to slide his tongue over her cheek towards her ear as something, she didn't know what pressed hard against her leg. The licking became more intense, frantic – she opened her eyes.  
  
"Ugh, Oh my God. Gretel get off me –stop it - Robert wake up and get your mutt of me!"  
  
"What? Oh, hey down girl!" he commanded. "Stop shouting Lizzie you'll scare her."  
  
"What you're taking the mutt's side?" She fumed.  
  
He squinted up at her where she stood arms folded across her chest.  
  
What?" he asked exasperated.  
  
"Robert your hound has just given me a face wash, I'm covered in doggie slobber!"  
  
Robert looked at her again as his eyes began to catch up with the idea of being awake. He started to laugh, an action he instantly regretted as the full force of his hangover pulsated in his head. He put his hand to his head and let out a loud groan.  
  
"Oh God, someone shoot me." He said.  
  
"Gladly, do you own a gun?" Elizabeth snarked.  
  
"What's' with you?"  
  
"What's with me? I feel like my body has been run over by a bloody steam roller, I need a lawnmower to shave my tongue, a gorilla has shat in my mouth, someone is playing the bongo's in my head AND YOUR DOG has just tried to eat me!" - 'Add to that I just had a wet dream about you,' she tagged on in her head still in shock.  
  
Robert just looked at her bemused.  
  
"I'm guessing you're not a morning person Lizzie."  
  
"Harrumph," she snorted, "What time is it anyhow?"  
  
He looked at his watch, "A quarter to seven! We're gonna have to move."  
  
"Where's your bathroom?" she asked.  
  
"Use the one in the guest bedroom, there's towels in the closet, new toothbrush in the cabinet and there should be girlie washy things in there too." He yelled over his shoulder as he ushered Gretel out of the house and with that disappeared.  
  
Elizabeth groaned to herself. She felt rotten and did not feel like going to work. She hauled herself upstairs and located the guest room, towels, toothbrush and, much to her surprise there were indeed 'girly, smelly things there.'  
  
She started to brush her teeth, grateful for the minty taste that began to wash away the taste of last night's gorilla visit. Looking in the mirror she groaned again. 'This is not happening' she thought to herself. Undressing she ran the water to the shower, before dropping off the last of her clothes to the floor and stepping into the shower.  
  
The hot water ran over her body warming her aching joints and calming her slightly. She let her mind wander back to last night and the things she had learned about Robert. She had had fun she admitted. Then an image popped into her head of Robert kissing her.  
  
'Oh God where the hell did that dream come from?' she wondered. Well, it had been a somewhat stressful, emotional evening; it was just her mind reacting to events she decided and reached for the shampoo. Elizabeth smiled lathered her hair and began to sing "I'm gonna wash that man right out of my hair, gonna wash..........................."  
  
8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 888  
  
Robert rushed back to the house as soon as Gretel had done the business.  
  
"Sorry girl, I promise I'll give you a long walk later!"  
  
He made it back into the house, gave Gretel her breakfast put coffee on then raced off up the stairs. He could hear the shower in the guestroom going but pulled up short as he heard her singing.  
  
Smiling to himself he went to his own bathroom and set about his own ablutions. Robert looked at his reflection in the mirror – he looked as rough as a badgers arse. Oh, well.  
  
Once inside the shower he began to feel better. Then it struck him just how much better he felt. Yeah he was hung over but today he felt, well content and, unusually at ease with the world. Add to that Elizabeth Corday had spent the night with him and was now taking a shower in his house! Yeah, life was looking up! Okay the circumstances could be better, i.e she could be unattached and interested in him, but where his Lizzie was concerned he'd take what he could get. He smiled and began to sing:  
  
8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 8888  
  
Meanwhile Elizabeth had got out of the shower, dried and was looking around for a hairdryer and brush. 'Great Robert, you thought you had things covered – you were wrong!'  
  
She wrapped the towel around her and ventured out of the guestroom. She heard a shower going, 'He's back' she thought, 'In the shower, he wont know if I sneak in and borrow a brush.'  
  
She tiptoed into his bedroom like a naughty child looking for what she needed. Then she stopped suddenly as a lovely voice began to drift through the air; she stood and listened mesmerized by the lilting voice and enchanting words:  
  
8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 8888  
  
"You're not a ship to carry my life, you are nailed to my love in many lonely nights. I've strayed from the cottages and found myself here, for I need your love, your love protects my fears. And I wonder sometimes, and I know I'm unkind, but I need you to turn to when I act so blind, and I need you to turn to when I loose control, you're my guardian angel who keeps out the cold. Did you paint your smile on? Well I said I knew that my reason for living was for loving you. We're related in feeling, but you're high above, you're pure and you're gentle, with the grace of a dove. And I wonder sometimes, and I know I'm unkind, but I need you to turn to when I act so blind, and I need you to turn to when I loose control, you're my guardian angel who keeps out the cold. "  
  
'Wow that was beautiful' she thought, 'he can really sing... Wanker - I wish I could sing like that! Right brush – move yourself girl.'  
  
8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 8888  
  
Robert finished singing as he reached for a towel. It wasn't there – he'd put it in the laundry yesterday and hadn't brought fresh ones through.  
  
"Shit!"  
  
He opened the door and made for his closet.  
  
And almost ran straight into Elizabeth.  
  
"Jesus Lizzie, what the hell?"  
  
Elizabeth spun around to face Robert – ALL of Robert. She turned bright red, as a hand shot to her mouth.  
  
"Oh, God Robert, OH, sorry ,I err." Look up girl, look up! "I'm looking for a brush."  
  
"Could you maybe turn around Lizzie?" he said, his voice two octaves higher than normal.  
  
She did.  
  
Robert ran into the closet grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist.  
  
He ducked back out.  
  
"Okay decent now, what did you want again?"  
  
"Oh, erm a brush" she muttered still blushing.  
  
He grabbed one out of a drawer and tossed it to her. She caught it and turned to go.  
  
"Oh I could also use a hairdryer."  
  
"Cute Lizzie, real cute."  
  
"No seriously Robert I need a hairdryer."  
  
He stroked a hand over his head, "Does it look like I would own a hairdryer?" he snarked to cover his increasing embarrassment.  
  
"Fine." She shot back and turned to leave.  
  
"Hey Lizzie?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You know, I showed you mine you should, really show me yours!" he smirked.  
  
"Oh, shut up Robert!" and off she stomped as he began to laugh and dry himself off properly.  
  
8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 8888  
  
Elizabeth did the best with her hair, got dressed and followed the smell of coffee to the kitchen. Robert was already there, dressed and eating toast. He looked quite dapper she thought as he pointed to a cup of coffee he'd poured for her.  
  
"You want some toast?" he asked.  
  
"Please – how long have we got?"  
  
"It's 7:30, I've got a cab coming in five minutes," he informed her.  
  
"Here catch" he said, then tossed her a bottle of ibuprofen, adding, "I know I needed them." before slotting her some bread in the toaster.  
  
She swallowed two, downed the coffee and waved her cup at him for more.  
  
"Geez what'd your last slave die off?" He refilled the cup and then started chuckling.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing." He started eating his toast again.  
  
Elizabeth fixed him with a glare as she walked the short distance that separated them.  
  
She stood next to him, then reached out and swiped the remainder of the toast from his hand and commenced eating it herself.  
  
"Hey! I was eating that! I thought you British were supposed to be a refined people- Can't you wait one minute?"  
  
Romano turned around and put the finishing touches to her toast.  
  
"Sorry, I get the munchies when I'm hung over." She chuckled semi apologetically.  
  
Spinning round he offered her a slice, which she took from him and started eating ravenously, until she noticed him smirking at her.  
  
"Oh for Gods sake Robert, what is it?"  
  
"Just admiring the wild banshee look you're sporting this fair morning. It's very - 80's!"  
  
"Don't you dare laugh at me. I feel absolutely dreadful, I'm wearing day old clothes that smell of cigarettes and you have the audacity to laugh at me. AT least I HAVE hair, speaking of which, tell me Robert how is it you have 'girly' shampoo and moisturisers but then leave out a hairdryer?"  
  
"The girly shampoo belongs to my niece, she sometimes...."  
  
The doorbell rang.  
  
"Time to go." He put down his cup and walked past her into the hall, grabbed his coat and held the door open.  
  
"Shall we...................?"  
  
TBC 


	7. You take the high road and I'll take the...

Okay forget what I said about winding this down soon. I'm enjoying myself and you're reading, so unless you let me know I'm beginning to flog a dead horse, I'm gonna carry on. I'm a few chapters ahead but welcome to any ideas if you have any. ' Saved by Grace' I'm glad you liked that last one - I had fun writing it!!!! I don't own E.R or anyone from it – mores the pity, ohh the possibilities!  
  
LEAN ON ME  
  
Chapter VII -  
  
"We're going to County hospital right?" asked the driver as Robert and Elizabeth climbed into the cab.  
  
"Yup." Replied Robert.  
  
The cab peeled away and headed off to their destination. After a few minutes of silence Robert spoke up. "Your quiet Lizzie, you okay?"  
  
"Oh just peachy Robert." She snapped.  
  
"Oookayyy." He put his hands up in a gesture of surrender.  
  
Elizabeth looked over at him and glared.  
  
"What?" He was met with stony silence. "Have I done something stupid in the last few minutes that I'm not aware off?"  
  
'Yes you kissed me, only you didn't!' she thought to herself.  
  
She looked out of the window and sighed. "No."  
  
"So?" he continued, but was still met with the back of her head.  
  
"I'm sorry, my mind reading skills are annulled by bangy head syndrome, brought on by reckless drinking sessions with sassy red heads! - You need to help me out here Lizzie."  
  
That earned him a slight chuckle.  
  
"If you must know I'm feeling really shitty, and I'm wondering how I'm going to get past Mark looking like I've been dragged through a hedge backwards, stinking of cigarettes and alcohol!"  
  
"Oh, is that all?" he giggled. "I guess you don't want us walking in together then?"  
  
"That would fuel the rumour mill for the rest of the year wouldn't it!" she laughed absently out of the window.  
  
Robert tugged on her arm gently. "What exactly did you tell Mark last night?"  
  
Elizabeth turned back round to face him, "I said a friend was in trouble and I probably wouldn't make dinner."  
  
"So you haven't told any, what's it you Brits' say, 'porky pies' then have you? Sooo what are you worried about?" Robert asked. (Authors note – porky pies is cockney slang for 'lies')  
  
"Cause he'll have probably rang my place and my mother will have taken great glee in telling him I didn't go home."  
  
"So you say your friend was in bad shape and needed you to stay over."  
  
She thought about it logically. Robert was right. She could easily explain everything. So why was she so worried? That bloody dream, that's why. She hadn't done anything wrong, she just felt unsettled like she had. Well she hadn't and she was being irrational!  
  
"Your right Robert, I'm probably over reacting."  
  
"So, if he asks, will he want to know who this friend is?" he enquired.  
  
"Don't worry your secrets are safe with me." Elizabeth said a bit harshly.  
  
"That's not really what I was getting at Lizzie. I'm not thinking of myself, I just thought he might ask if this friend was male or female....?" he let the words linger in the air.  
  
"Oh, oh I see – Well, guess I'll find out if he trusts me or not then. Look I'll tell him I stayed with a friend who needed some TLC, and leave it at that. If he doesn't trust me then he's not the man I think he is, and I'd say I was in the wrong relationship if that was the case."  
  
Robert looked at her cryptically, "I'm sorry Lizzie this is all my fault."  
  
"No Robert it's fine, really!"  
  
"So, we're okay?"  
  
"Yeah we're fine."  
  
"Good." Robert said and looked out the window, they were nearly there. "Hey can you drop me here and take the lady on to County."  
  
"Anything you say boss." Replied the driver.  
  
The cab pulled to a stop. Robert took out his wallet and handed the driver some money. "Will that cover it?"  
  
"Sure thing." The driver replied appreciating the sizeable tip.  
  
Robert turned to Elizabeth and smiled sheepishly, "So I guess I'll see you in there huh?"  
  
She nodded her head.  
  
"Please make sure there's a fresh pot of coffee when I get there." He winked.  
  
"Course." She smiled.  
  
Robert reached for the door and was about to climb out when Elizabeth impulsively leaned over and pulled him back. They looked at each other intensely, both a little surprised and wondering what the other was thinking; both smiled nervously. Then Robert leaned in and tentatively pulled Elizabeth towards him, and, feeling no resistance from her drew her into his embrace. She hugged him back and inhaled deeply smelling his cologne, he smelt good; she felt good.  
  
The driver coughed and they separated slightly.  
  
He touched his forehead to hers and peered into her eyes.  
  
"You know I meant what I said last night – you really are a wonderful person Elizabeth." Bringing his hands up he cupped her face gently and kissed her lightly on the forehead. He smiled warmly at her, then got out of the cab and disappeared amongst the other pedestrians, whistling as he went.  
  
The taxi pulled away taking her on to County, leaving her to her thoughts. What had just happened between them, what was that? Something indefinable was beginning to happen to her when she was around that man.  
  
God it was going to be long day.......................................  
  
TBC  
  
R&R if you want more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	8. A'int that a kick in the head

Don't own E.R or it's characters – don't want to now, all the interesting people have been killed off in STUPID ratings stunts, or are apparently going to be written out to make way for the 'young ones'. So NBC, WB and Michael Crichton stick it up your......hoop? Keep your flagging show!!(Or go watch Dallas, shower scene – hint, hint!)

Special thanks to 'Phantom off the basement' for proof reading for me.  
  
LEAN ON ME  
  
Chapter VIII

All too soon the taxi pulled up at the hospital. Elizabeth climbed out as she thanked the driver and turned to face – Mark!  
  
_Shit._  
  
"Heeyy, where'd you get to last night?" Mark asked whilst casting a curious glance at her clothes and general overall appearance.  
  
"Oh, hi- were you waiting for me or something?" she mumbled.  
  
"Waiting on multiple traumas actually, but this is nice." He smiled. "Soo – how's your friend?"  
  
"Oh, he's fine." She blurted.  
  
"He? Who is he?" Mark asked, his head suddenly whipping up straight.  
  
_Bugger._  
  
"My friend who was in trouble – you don't know him." She lied.  
  
"Right." He replied.  
  
"So how did dinner go?" Elizabeth tried to change the subject.  
  
"It was - interesting."  
  
"That bad, huh? I'm sorry I really couldn't get away." She offered.  
  
"So your 'friend' was in a bar?" Mark asked wrinkling his nose slightly.  
  
Elizabeth nodded and hoped the ground would swallow her whole.  
  
"This bar was open all night?"  
  
"Pardon!" she exclaimed.  
  
"I spoke to Isabelle this morning. Apparently you didn't go home last night." Mark said in an accusatory tone of voice she was unaccustomed to from him.  
  
"No I didn't – he was in a bad way and needed me to stay." Elizabeth replied keeping her voice as neutral as she could.  
  
"_All_ night?"  
  
"Yes Mark all night!" Elizabeth's head began to hurt more than she thought was possible.  
  
"In a bar all night?"  
  
"No, we went back to his place." Now she was pissed and did not feel the need to hide the fact.  
  
_This does sound really bad actually  
_  
"Mark, nothing is going on if that is what you're driving at." Elizabeth offered trying to placate him.  
  
He looked her up and down as the ambulances peeled around the corner.  
  
"Really?" He snipped.  
  
"Yes REALLY" she was getting angry now.  
  
He continued to stare at her, his expression leaving no doubt in her mind that he did not believe her.  
  
"I'm going in." She snapped.  
  
"Fine." Was all he said then turned to the trauma being wheeled his direction.  
  
"Fine, MARK!" Elizabeth shouted back and stomped inside the building.  
  
Now she was mad.  
  
_Well what do you know? He doesn't trust me!  
  
_TBC 


	9. Bloody Diversions

Still don't own E.R or anyone from it  
  
LEAN ON ME  
  
Chapter IX – Bloody diversions  
  
Robert found himself walking quite briskly despite his body's protestations. He started whistling a tune, which took him a little by surprise and made him smile.  
  
'Well that was certainly weird.' He thought to himself as the smile developed into a full on goofy grin.  
  
A women walking towards him smiled back and he gave her a wink. Today was going to be a good day, he decided. No matter that his head was thumping or that his back was aching from a night spent on the couch. He picked up his pace and chuckled to himself as he realised what the tune he was whistling was - 'Staying Alive' by the Bee Gees. He laughed at the mental image of John Travolta strutting down the street, then chuckled as he realised that was precisely what he was doing!  
  
Either he was going mad, or something, he did not know what, but something had definitely just happened between them. He had not imagined THAT, she definitely had been a willing participant to his embrace and it had felt electric. She had pulled him back, stopped him from leaving. That was not a mere friendly hug, so what did IT mean – did it mean anything? Was the tide turning in his favour at long last?  
  
'Pull yourself together Rob' he said to himself. 'Lets just get to work, see how the land lies with her and oh yeah try not to kill anybody today – yep standby my little plebes the ROCKET IS BACK!'  
  
As he turned the corner and stepped towards the ambulance bay, he noted multiple victims being brought out of the rigs that had pitched up moments earlier - It was typical E.R chaos; there was Green in the thick of it orchestrating the whole melee. With everyone busy screaming at each other he slipped by unseen through the doors, through the E.R, into the elevator and punched four.  
  
'Exxcceellent' he said in his best Gordon Burns voice. He was the invisible man!  
  
TBC  
  
I know it's short, but fear not there's more to come!!! 


	10. No good deed goes unpunished

LEAN ON ME  
  
Chapter X  
  
Robert stepped out of the elevator onto the surgical wing and headed straight for his office, nodding at Shirley on his way past the nurses station.  
  
He reached his office and looked in. Brenda was already in working away feverishly.  
  
"Hey Brenda!" He called out robustly.  
  
"Dr Romano." She replied neutrally trying to gauge her boss's mood after yesterday.  
  
"So what have I got today?"  
  
"I've put your schedule on your desk Dr Romano, there's not too much."  
  
He flashed her a brief smile. She returned it and inwardly sighed relief. She did not need another 'Romano Rampage' as she liked to call his little tirades. The last few weeks had been hell! Hopefully whatever bug had snuck up his ass had recognised hostile territory and vacated for safer environments.  
  
"Right I'll go grab a coffee then." He turned and headed for the lounge.  
  
'I hope she's there.' He thought to himself.  
  
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Elizabeth was fuming. How dare he talk to her like that? Okay fine, she could see from Marks point of view that it did not look good, but she could hardly tell him that she had spent the night with Romano, no matter how innocent, because let's face it he wouldn't believe anything could be innocent where Robert was concerned. Still that did not detract from the fact however, that Mark DID NOT trust her! Cheeky bastard, who in the hell does he think he is anyway?  
  
She slammed the coffee flask back into the holder.  
  
"So is that for me?" Robert asked tentatively as he entered the lounge.  
  
Despite her bad mood, she flashed him a smile and offered him the fresh cup.  
  
Robert wandered over to where she stood and accepted the proffered coffee, eyeing her the whole way. She had changed into scrubs and despite the smile did not seem herself. Something had changed from when he had left her in the taxi. Was she beginning to regret their 'moment'?  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked softly in a low voice.  
  
_Damn it if he didn't sound sexy when he did that.  
  
_"Nothing." Elizabeth said.  
  
"Yes there is, I can tell." He continued to push gently.  
  
"Oh, it's nothing for you to worry about." She answered surprised that he could read her so well.  
  
"Hey Elizabeth I think after last night I'm allowed a little leeway." He said, raising the coffee cup to his mouth.  
  
_Mark and I are fighting and it's your fault._  
  
Elizabeth studied his face. He was genuinely worried about her, but she didn't want to burden him more than he already was, he seemed to be getting back on track.  
  
"Robert it's nothing really...."  
  
"Gosh Lizzie that sounds familiar!" he quipped.  
  
She laughed a little. He was going to bug her until she told him.  
  
"I ran into Mark downstairs, and let's just say my explanation for last nights absence did not go down too well. He demanded to know WHOM I had been with." She said tersely.  
  
"Oh, Christ I'm sorry Elizabeth, this is all my fault." Robert started.  
  
"No Robert – your not an issue here, this is between Mark and I – He doesn't trust me and that's taken me a little by surprise. I thought there was a bit more to us than that, but it would appear I'm wrong on that score." Elizabeth explained, her voice a little peevish.  
  
"Is there anything I can do?" Robert asked.  
  
"Doctor Romano/Corday?" Shirley stuck her head in the door.  
  
They both turned to face her.  
  
"You're both needed downstairs. They've got multiple traumas coming in and Dr Edson's already down there dealing with the last lot!"  
  
They glanced at each other and started for the door and to the business of saving lives.  
  
As they reached the door Robert squeezed her hand gently before rushing ahead of her shouting orders.  
  
TBC 


	11. Enter the 'Green' Eyed Monster

I'm an ex-Royal Navy gal and have No medical training other than emergency aid and I am not going to pretend otherwise – so please don't expect me to write it! If you've just joined us we started a few weeks after season 6 'All in the family' and veered off into my little world. Thanks to Saved by grace for advice on Mark's character. I do not own E.R or anyone from it, blah, blah!  
  
LEAN ON ME  
  
Chapter XI

"Waahooo!" Robert yelled punching the air. The Rocket is back!  
  
He had been on fire today. Not only had he not lost anyone, he had in fact saved people who had no business still breathing. God, he felt fantastic, so alive. He loved being a surgeon, felt so pumped right now. He was back on track and he owed it all to one person.  
  
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Elizabeth was knackered and fading fast. It had been a terribly long day, a hard one with back-to-back procedures, courtesy of the E.R. She ripped off her gown and gloves throwing them into the waste container. On autopilot she spoke to the relatives of her last procedure and headed for the lounge. 'Coffee must have coffee,' she thought.  
  
She headed down the hall and spotted Mark waiting for her.  
  
_No, I do not need this right now.  
_  
"Elizabeth." He greeted gruffly, "I think we need to talk."  
  
"Mark." She said, but did not stop walking. As expected he followed her into the lounge.  
  
Elizabeth set about getting herself a coffee and then sunk into an armchair. Mark watched her then sat down in the chair opposite her.  
  
He watched her for a while, before speaking. "So are you going to tell me the truth about last night?"  
  
She eyed him with barley-concealed condescension. "Mark it has been an incredibly long day and I do not want to do this right now." Her head still pounded; she just wanted to go to bed.  
  
"Elizabeth who were you with?" he persisted.  
  
"A friend." She sighed.  
  
"So you said, I want to know who he is."  
  
"Why?" she asked.  
  
"Because you should have been with me and you wont tell me who he is. I know everybody you know. So?"  
  
"You don't trust me do you?" Elizabeth asked him outright.  
  
"Look - When Jen cheated on me it really hurt. I can't let someone do that to me again and I refuse to be in a relationship where I am lied to." Mark said matter-of-factly.  
  
"Mark it's complicated, I cant' tell you who he is, I made a promise, but I promise you THERE IS NOTHING GOING ON!"  
  
"Is it someone at the hospital?" he persisted.  
  
Elizabeth looked at him disbelievingly. "You're not listening to me Mark, I am not discussing the matter with you. You have to trust me!"  
  
Mark eyed her back fleetingly before averting his gaze to the floor. "Not sure I can Elizabeth." He said quietly, unable to look her in the eye anymore.  
  
_Did he just say that? By God I think he did!  
_  
"Fine Mark. You can go now."  
  
"Fine." He said and got up and left.  
  
_Wanker  
_  
Elizabeth closed her eyes.  
  
"Well I guess that's the end of that then!" she muttered to herself quietly, as the door closed literally on yet another failed relationship.  
  
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"Lizzie, there you are!" Robert yelled gleefully barging into the lounge in typical Romano fashion.  
  
She jumped and opened her eyes suddenly.  
  
_I must have fallen asleep, God I'm so tired.  
_  
Robert waltzed over to the coffee machine, and proceeded to pour himself a cup.  
  
"You want one?" he asked brightly.  
  
Elizabeth shook her head slightly.  
  
"I've had a really successful day Lizzie, I almost feel omnipotent!"  
  
"How wonderful for you!" she snapped back at him. "Your flying high and my life sucks!"  
  
Robert stopped in his tracks and watched her for a moment before sitting down opposite her, wearing a concerned expression.  
  
"Hard day?" he asked.  
  
Elizabeth looked up at him. "Leave me alone Robert, I'm knackered and in a bad mood."  
  
"Is that all?" He quipped.  
  
When he got no answer he looked at her again. "Lizzie?"  
  
Nothing.  
  
He kicked his leg out, his foot connecting with her shin.  
  
"Hey!" she shouted.  
  
"Just checking you're still with me." Romano joked.  
  
Elizabeth shot him a stern glance and he pulled a pouty face at her.  
  
"What's wrong, are you pissed at me?" Robert asked.  
  
"YES," she yelled, then "No."  
  
"Okay so which is it?" He retorted a little exasperated.  
  
"No" a pause followed by "I think Mark and I just broke up."  
  
"Oh, right. When you say 'think' does that mean...."  
  
"It means we just broke up!"  
  
"And this is all because you were with me and you cant tell him that? I'm sorry Elizabeth."  
  
Elizabeth looked at the floor as Robert stared intensely at her. The last thing he wanted was to make Elizabeth's life complicated for her. How to make it better though? He'd walked in here on cloud nine and now felt utterly deflated.  
  
They sat there in silence for a few minutes, neither sure of what to say until Robert suddenly piped up, "Hey you want to go and get shitfaced?"  
  
At that Elizabeth laughed hard as memories of last nights shenanigans flooded her head. She looked up at him with a warm smile.  
  
"I think the hair of the dog is the last thing I need." She chortled.  
  
"So what do you need?" He asked gently.  
  
She considered his words. "A bath, a meal and sleep."  
  
"In that order?" Robert asked.  
  
Elizabeth nodded her head.  
  
"Can you do that with your mother at home?" He ventured.  
  
"Probably not." She conceded.  
  
"Can you do that at my place?" Robert dared his heart pounding against his chest. She looked at him weighing his words in her head. She felt pretty vulnerable right now; it would probably not be a good idea.  
  
"I have no clean clothes." She answered.  
  
"I'm sober now - I can drive you to yours, you could pick up what you need. If your mother plays nice you stay, if she doesn't you can leave."  
  
It sounded simple.  
  
"C'mon you scratched my back last night –let me scratch yours?" Robert asked his tone lewd, but his eyes giving away his concern. He stood up and held out his hand.  
  
She took it.TBC 

Hey is anybody actually still reading this? (R&R please)


	12. Should I Stay Or Should I Go Now?

LEAN ON ME  
  
Chapter XII – Should I stay or should I go now?  
  
Robert's Jaguar sliced through the streets of Chicago headed for Elizabeth's. They made polite small talk skirting around any mention of Mark or last night.  
  
As they drove it began to rain quite heavily and Robert adjusted his driving accordingly, concentrating more on the road than his passenger. Elizabeth took advantage of the situation and closed her eyes.  
  
She couldn't believe the day she had had, it all seemed somewhat surreal. How could she have got Mark so wrong? They'd been seeing each other for months now, and had stumbled spectacularly at the first hurdle. Better to find out now I suppose than later. And what of Robert? He had been invading her thoughts all day and she didn't know what to make of it. There had been that 'moment' as she now thought of it in the taxi this morning. What did it mean? She had never once thought about Robert in romantic terms before. She knew he'd liked her, he'd asked her out several times in the past. But was he still attracted to her. Should she even be thinking like this? She'd been single again for what, a whole two hours? No, best to just go home to bed. Sleep, that's what she needed right now.  
  
Shortly after Robert parked up outside Elizabeth's apartment building, and looked over at her. He smiled; she was fast asleep. He studied her sleeping form admiring her delicate shape, the hair he had poked fun at only this morning. Despite her obvious fatigue she was beautiful. He wanted to take this woman in his arms and never let her go.  
  
He'd been attracted to her from the moment he had laid eyes on her. He guessed it was more lust back then but now, after two years? No it was more than that. She was the only woman he had considered having a serious relationship with since Laura. He'd asked her out and she had blown him out of the water. She'd hurt him then, she had no idea how much. Especially when he had found out about her and Benton. So in true Romano fashion he hurt her back the only way he knew how, dropping her fellowship. Hoping that would send her away, her tail between her legs, back to England and out of his life.  
  
But not his Lizzie; she had persevered and started over. That was when he fell in love with her he decided as he watched. He loved her fighting spirit, her tenacity, and her sparkling wit. Elizabeth was never afraid to challenge him and was the only person who could hold her own against him in a conversation. All that wrapped up in the gorgeous package that sat sleeping in the passenger seat of his car. How could he not want her? She was a free agent now right? There seemed to be a connection forming between them Robert thought - he'd not imagined that moment in the taxi this morning. But, did he really want to be the re-bound guy?  
  
Plus, he'd been horrible to her in the past; by rights she should hate him. Sometimes he felt she barely tolerated him, but more recently they had struck up a better working relationship. He'd made her Associate Chief because she deserved it and he knew she would do an excellent job, but also by way of an apology for setting her back in the first place.  
  
And then there was last night. She had been there for him when he had needed her, stopped him from falling apart. And what had he given her in return? He'd come between her and Mark, however unintentionally, and now they had split up and she was miserable. How do you make something like that right? He should let her go.  
  
Elizabeth stirred from her sleep disturbing his thoughts and glanced over at him.  
  
"Oh, we're here?" she whispered.  
  
"Looks like it." He replied quietly.  
  
Elizabeth glanced over at him. He looked a bit sad she thought, but she was too tired to ask.  
  
"Hey the rain has stopped." She said instead.  
  
"Yeah. So, you're going in then?" Robert asked.  
  
"Yes, thanks for the ride." She reached for the door handle.  
  
"So you'll be all right, with your mother there?" he asked, trying to keep her a little longer, his previous resolution to let her go forgotten.  
  
"Oh, you know I had actually forgotten about her!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "Yeah, I'll just go to bed, she can't lecture me there."  
  
"Okay, well, goodnight then." Robert said trying to keep his voice neutral.  
  
"G'night Robert, and thanks again."  
  
And then she was gone.

TBC Hee-hee! 


	13. Indecent Exposure

LEAN ON ME  
  
Chapter XIII – Indecent Exposure  
  
Robert watched her disappear into the building. As the door closed on her retreating form, a heavy sigh he'd been holding in, escaped from his mouth. Staring ahead at nothing in particular, he felt incredibly alone. He remained still, trying to shake himself out of his reverie only to become mesmerized watching the rain weave paths down the windscreen.  
  
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Elizabeth reached her door and rummaged around her bag for her keys. Finding them she opened the door.  
  
"Mother, I'm back." She called out slinging her coat down on the back of the couch. She got no answer, which she thought was odd.  
  
Elizabeth padded over to the spare room and tapped lightly on the door. She heard movement within, so called out again.  
  
"Mother?"  
  
"Elizabeth!" she heard her mother exclaim sounding panicky.  
  
That did it. Elizabeth opened the door. "What's the matter?" she called out as she entered the room.  
  
"Darling, don't come .........................." Isabelle started.  
  
"Oh my God!" Elizabeth's hand went to her mouth, as she turned and fled the room as quickly as her feet would carry her.  
  
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Robert eventually snapped out of his rain dance trance, and reached his hand to turn the key. He gunned the engine, checked the rear-view mirror and was about to pull away, when –  
  
Elizabeth opened the passenger side door, climbed in and demanded,  
  
"Drive!"  
  
Robert peeled the car away from the kerb and did as he was instructed.  
  
Once safely on the road he glanced over at her. She was staring dead ahead wearing an unreadable expression.  
  
"Where we driving to Lizzie?" he softly asked, trying not to get his hopes up too much.  
  
She turned to face him as if seeing him for the first time that evening. Then she burst out laughing hysterically.  
  
Robert watched her completely bewildered, pulled the car over and turned off the engine.  
  
"Care to share what's so amusing?" he asked.  
  
Elizabeth continued to laugh, so Robert just sat still and watched until she got a grip.  
  
After a while, she looked over at him a little sheepishly and he raised a quizzical eyebrow at her.  
  
"I just caught my mother in bed, _in the act_, I might add, with David Green!" she blurted out.  
  
"David Green?" Robert asked none the wiser.  
  
She looked at him like he was stupid.  
  
"Green, as in a relation of Marks?" Robert ventured a guess.  
  
"As in his father!" she gushed.  
  
"No way!" Robert began to grin from ear to ear. "In the act as well you say?"  
  
"I think I'm going to be traumatised for life." She laughed, and this time he joined her.  
  
"So what'd you wanna do now? Do you want me to take you back or what?" he asked.  
  
Elizabeth thought about it for a while.  
  
"I can't possibly go back there tonight, I haven't got the first clue what to say to her." She said shaking her head bemusedly.  
  
Robert looked her over and made a decision, started the car and headed off. They drove on in silence, but it was not uncomfortable.  
  
Elizabeth looked at Robert puzzled when they parked up outside a shopping mall.  
  
"You need a change of clothes right?" he said to her unasked question.  
  
"Thank you, that's very thoughtful. However, in my haste to escape, I left my bag, therefore my purse."  
  
"Don't worry about it, I got you covered." He said, and then smiled. "So you wanna go shopping?"  
  
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A little over an hour later the Jaguar pulled up in front of Robert's house and they both climbed out of the car.  
  
Once inside Robert got a hold off Gretel and began making a fuss of her. He looked over at Elizabeth.  
  
"Go get that bath you wanted, I'm gonna take Gretel out for a walk. Take your time and I'll order dinner. Chinese okay?"  
  
Elizabeth nodded gratefully and headed tiredly off up the stairs towards the guestroom. Once inside she set down the bag containing a nice clean, new change of clothes on the bed.  
  
_Could this day get any stranger?  
_  
She went into the bathroom and ran her bath. Smiling, she picked up some bubble bath and remembered an unfinished conversation from this morning. She would have to ask Robert about his niece. Soon after she was up to her neck, lost in a world of bubbles and warm water that caressed and eased her troubles away.  
  
She floated like that for, well she didn't know, but the water had begun to turn cool. Elizabeth climbed out feeling somewhat refreshed and wrapped a towel round herself. Drying off she walked out into the bedroom. Lying on the bed next to her shopping bag was a gift-wrapped box complete with a bow. She stared at it in bewilderment for a time, and then picked it up. Opening it up carefully, Elizabeth let out a chuckle and grinned widely as she saw what it was:  
  
She lifted out the hairdryer.  
  
_He must have stole away when I tried on the blouse.  
  
_The gesture was small but it tugged at her heart.  
  
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Robert watched her walk down the stairs, an image of absolute beauty. A Goddess who, was wearing his robe, if he was not mistaken. She was smiling at him, a full and beaming smile. He grinned back like a love struck teenager and held out a hand to her.  
  
"You Robert Romano will never cease to amaze me." She said as they met at the bottom of the stairs and accepted his hand.  
  
"You liked your gift then?" he smirked.  
  
In answer she kissed him lightly on the cheek. He inhaled and breathed in her freshly bathed fragrance. Lovely. He could so easily loose himself in her.  
  
"I hope you don't mind, but after a bath like that it didn't seem right to get dressed." She explained, picking self-consciously at the bathrobe.  
  
"Looks better on you." He replied in a low appreciative tone.  
  
They locked eyes. Neither dared to breathe.  
  
The moment was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell.  
  
"That'll be our dinner." Robert said and turned towards the door. "Go on in the lounge, I'll fetch it through - I've opened some wine, help yourself."  
  
Elizabeth walked through to the lounge, located the wine and poured out two glasses. She briefly wondered where to sit, before seating herself down on the couch.  
  
A couple of minutes later Robert appeared bearing plates and a huge bag of Chinese food that smelled delicious.  
  
"I didn't know what you liked so I ordered a bit of everything!" he explained.  
  
"Robert there's got to be a whole banquet in there!" she spluttered. He just shrugged his shoulders and began dishing up. When he'd finished he looked at Elizabeth. She'd sat on the couch, and his eyes flitted to the armchair then back to her. She noticed and patted the couch beside her. He smiled and sat down next to her and handed her a pair of chopsticks.  
  
"Tuck in..." and they both delved in.  
  
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"I see your appetite for food matches your appetite for bacardi." Robert said as he observed Elizabeth's empty plate.  
  
She snickered.  
  
"Actually I have a confession to make Robert."  
  
"Really – what would that be then?" he asked as he filled her glass and put the empty bottle on the table.  
  
"Every time I went to the bar I was drinking Coke." She grinned triumphantly.  
  
"Yeah? Well every time I went to the bar you were drinking trebles!" he guffawed.  
  
"Really? Well every time I went to the bar and ordered coke you were drinking doubles!"  
  
"Really? – No wonder I felt so bad! – You're mean, you know that?" He said trying to sound hurt, and pulling a pouty face.  
  
"Hee-Hee" was all she managed.  
  
Robert smiled and looked at her intensely causing her to blush, before leaning back into the couch and closing his eyes. He locked his hands behind his head and pushed his legs out.  
  
She looked down at him tenderly.  
  
"Comfortable?"  
  
He broadened the smile and nodded his head.  
  
"Thank you Robert for tonight."  
  
"Thank you Lizzie for last night."  
  
She laughed. "We make a right pair don't we?"  
  
Robert didn't answer. He remained lying back into the couch; eyes closed wearing his content smile.  
  
Elizabeth stared at him hard. She watched his chest rise and fall, looked at his lips, down to his jaw then back to his lips. He looked content sitting there, happy to be with her. He looked strong, his face relaxed; all the lines of uncertainty from the last few weeks had disappeared. 'Rocket' was back she thought, but now she understood him a little better and that thought made her smile.  
  
He had been through so much, had his whole life ripped away before his very eyes, had to stand by helplessly watching, as he lost all that was dear to him. He had suffered a terrible loss and had re-built himself. What courage beat within that strong chest to be able to do that? She felt honoured to know him, the man, the private man that only she was allowed to see.  
  
She had asked him to let her help, to trust her and he had done so blindly. He had entrusted her with his demons, let her see his pain. Faith is a powerful emotion, one that you do not give out casually. He had faith in her, had made the leap simply because she had asked. She felt complete, happy to be sat there she realised, and it hit her then just how much she liked him, how much he liked her. Mark, her mother, County all seemed so far away. All she knew was that she was here with him, an amazing man who would do anything for her. She wanted to know more about him, felt herself being pulled towards him; she wanted to learn all there was to learn about him. She was sure of that. She was also finally certain of what she wanted and reached out a hand to his cheek.  
  
"Robert?" she spoke softly.  
  
He opened his eyes and looked at her questioningly. "Yeah?"  
  
"You're amazing!"  
  
"Glad you've finally see the light." he quipped.  
  
"Robert I'm being serious."  
  
He saw the sincerity in her eyes and reached up to Elizabeth's hand that cupped his cheek, and interlaced his fingers with hers.  
  
"No I'm not; but _you_ – you are perfection." He said his voice low, "Totally exquisite. Greens a fool to let you go."  
  
They locked eyes and in that moment verbal communication became null and void. They both smiled as their eyes conveyed all that needed saying. He pulled her to him as their mouths met in an intense kiss. Passion, love, lust all combined into an electrical explosion that took a hold of both of them and ignited into a frenzy of tongues and exploration.  
  
Their hands began to travel each other's bodies, every curve, and every fold. Robert moved his attentions to her neck, and began to nibble at her trailing kisses from her ear down to her collarbone. She felt her head explode and let out a moan of utter pleasure.  
  
"Oh God Robert." She gasped.  
  
"Lizzie." he moaned back.  
  
He moved his mouth back to hers and kissed her passionately on the mouth. Elizabeth reciprocated giving into emotions that took charge of her entire body, crushing him to her.  
  
She opened her eyes and pulled her mouth away.  
  
He opened his and gazed into her pools of blue, loosing himself in her.  
  
"I want you." She rasped.  
  
He heard the words and wanted her so much at that moment. Slipping a hand in between the robe, he was rewarded with the feel of her naked flesh beneath. He caressed her breasts before sliding his hand behind her back tracing circles over her back. She arched her back in encouragement and feeling emboldened, he withdrew his hand to release the tie of the robe, and flicked away the material from her body. He looked down and drunk in the sight of her naked body, committing it to his memory for fear that this was a dream.  
  
He lowered his mouth to her breasts kissing teasingly between them and her stomach, till she could stand it no more and grabbed his head. She brought it up to face her, her eyes boring into his.  
  
"Robert." She whispered.  
  
"Humm" was all he could manage.  
  
"Do you think we could take this somewhere more comfortable?  
  
He felt drunk, on a natural high. The reality of what she had said struck him and he stared at her for a while too happy to say anything.  
  
Then suddenly he eased himself from her and stood, pulling her with him, unwilling to let her go for even a second.  
  
"Lizzie, do you know what you mean to me?" he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.  
  
"I think I'm beginning to understand." She murmured.  
  
"This is not a one night stand to me. I want you with me not just tonight, but for the rest of my life."  
  
His eyes bored into hers, as his words warmed her heart. She grasped his face and willed him to look deep into her soul.  
  
"Robert, this is all new to me, but make no mistake, this is what I want too."  
  
"I love you Elizabeth." Then he led her towards the stairs, towards their future.  
  
THE END  
  
Well that's it, my first fanfic - hope you liked it? If you did and enough of you bug me I have an idea for a sequel or epilogue. R&R!! 


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